Frequently Asked Questions

If I file a claim, will my insurance premiums go up?

If your project was caused by storm-related activity, because you had no control over the weather, the damage was not caused by negligence on your part, and your insurance premium will not go up. However, if, in a given area, if there are an excessive number of claims filed with your insurance company due to weather-related occurrances, the company may choose to raise their premuims across the board to try to recover some of the losses they experienced.

When you consider this fact, not filing a claim when you have legitimate damage, your rates may go up anyway if you live in an area where a lot of weather-related damage took place, and you will not have taken advantage of the reason you have property insurance in the first place!

This is why filing a claim is wise -- in the best case scenario, your rates will not go up due to your personal claim, or in the worst case scenario, if they go up due to regional claim volume, you will have received the benefit of your property insurance in view of these higher rates.

What if my claim is denied?

Claims are denied when the insurance adjuster feels that there is not coverable damage to the property: damage that the policy says it will cover. Storm-related damage is almost always covered by homeowner's policies.

This would include wind, hail, atmospheric disturbances (such as tornados, etc), water damage related to a storm event, etc. Our sales associates are trained to look for coverable damage -- the kind of loss that your insurance would cover. However, there are times when storm-related damage exists and an adjuster does not feel that it is legitimate. In the event that the adjuster claims that there is no coverable damage to your property, you have the option to request a re-inspection and have another adjuster look at the property.

There have been many occasions when we have submitted a request for a reinspection and have received approval after a second look. There is an old adage that applies to this issue: "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." We do our best to ensure that before we file a claim with you, we do our best to ensure that you have sufficient evidence to support an approval from the insurance company. While we cannot guarantee what your insurance company or adjuster will do, we are very selective as to the projects we submit for insurance approval, and as such, recieve a high amount of approvals for repairs.
 

What if I only get a partial approval?

In the face of a partial approval, you have one of three choices:

1. walk away from the project and treat it as a denial
2. call for a reinspection which has a good chance of later approval (we will help you with what you need to do)
3. pay for the portion of the project the insurance company did not approve

What if my project involves lead paint?

Federal and State Law requires proper treatment of areas of a structure that have lead paint. Since lead is a hazardous substance, it must be removed according to EPA guidelines (in accordance with the MN Department of Health).

Corbin Exteriors is a certified lead-safe company and is trained and licensed to perform such removal safely and in accordance with the law. Insurance companies will cover the costs of such mitigation since they are required by law.

 

How much do I have to pay out of pocket?

MN State Law requires that homeowners pay their insurance deductible and that contractors do not offer to pay or rebate all or part of the deductible. The Minnesotat Department of Labor and Industry's web pages posts this warning...

In response to concerns from consumers, insurers, and other contractors, the 2010 Legislature passed a bill (SF 1886) that will have a direct effect on licensed building contractors who contract with homeowners to repair roofs damaged by storms.

Effective Aug. 1, 2010, the main provision of this new law is a prohibition on advertising or offering to pay or rebate all or part of a homeowner's insurance deductible. Although CCLD does not have direct enforcement authority over this prohibition, a contractor who advertises or promises to pay or rebate all or part of a homeowner's deductible in soliciting roofing work may be subject to a civil action by the homeowner or their insurance company to recover any damages they sustain as a result of the violation. Also, an insurer does not have to consider the estimate prepared by a contractor who offered to pay all or part of the homeowner's deductible.

We understand that there are contractors who are still offering to pay or offer rebates on deductibles, but this is insurance fraud, and as such, is illegal. We love our clients and would never expose them to the possibility of loss or a lawsuit. We also strive to comply with all applicable laws and respect the governing authorities above us.

Your out-of-pocket expenses, therefore, would be your insurance deductible and whatever upgrades you choose for your project. Our sales associates will thoroughly review your options for upgrading materials and the costs involved.